1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to specimen collection devices and more particularly pertains to a new specimen collection assembly for more easily and sanitarily collecting a specimen, such as urine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of specimen collection devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, specimen collection devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,558,840; 5,174,965; 5,147,342; 4,224,920; 338,064; and Des. 357,066.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new specimen collection assembly. The inventive device includes a cup member for collecting the urine specimen. An elongated handle member coupled to the cup member for holding by a user to support the cup member in an appropriate position for collection of the urine sample.
In these respects, the specimen collection assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of more easily and sanitarily collecting a specimen such as urine.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of specimen collection devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new specimen collection assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for more easily and sanitarily collecting specimen such as urine.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new specimen collection assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the specimen collection devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new specimen collection assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art specimen collection devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises specimen collection devices.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new specimen collection assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the specimen collection devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new specimen collection assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art specimen collection devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new specimen collection assembly which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new specimen collection assembly which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new specimen collection assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such specimen collection assembly economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new specimen collection assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new specimen collection assembly for more easily and sanitarily collecting a specimen such as urine.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new specimen collection assembly which includes a cup member for collecting the urine specimen. An elongated handle member coupled to the cup member for holding by a user to support the cup member in an appropriate position for collection of the urine sample.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new specimen collection assembly that reduces the possibility of the specimen cup from falling and spilling the specimen.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new specimen collection assembly that allows pregnant women to more easily obtain a urine sample. The present invention allows a pregnant women, who may have trouble bending over, to more easily obtain a urine sample by using the elongated handle member to properly position the cup member.